The Sacrament of Rest: A Sabbatical Story

By Prof. Br. Remy Nyukorong, FIC

When I arrived at the Mercy Center in Colorado Springs for my six‑week sabbatical, I carried no academic plan, no ministry project, and no list of goals. What I carried instead was a quiet longing – a longing to rest, to listen, and to rediscover God’s presence in the spaces I often rush past.

The Mercy Center sits in a landscape that naturally slows the soul. The mountains stand like ancient teachers. The silence feels alive. And the rhythm of the program – two sessions a day, surrounded by long stretches of quiet – gently invited me to let go of the instinct to “produce” and to embrace the grace of simply being present.

A Community of Companions

Our group of nine was wonderfully diverse: two priests, two religious, a theologian, a couple, a policeman, and a high school teacher. We came from different countries, cultures, and life experiences. Yet in the Mercy Center’s atmosphere of openness, we became companions on the same inward journey.

We shared deeply. We laughed often. We respected each other’s need for silence. And we supported one another in ways that felt both natural and Spirit‑led.

A Journey Inward

The program itself was rich and holistic – weaving together spirituality, psychology, creativity, and personal growth. We explored self‑care, forgiveness, individuation, transitions, dreamwork, and the spirituality of mercy. We walked the labyrinth, created art, journaled, prayed, and reflected.

But the deepest transformation happened quietly, beneath the surface.

It happened in the moments when I realized I didn’t need to accomplish anything to be loved. It happened in the silence where God’s voice felt clearer. It happened in the gentle awareness that rest is not a luxury – it is a spiritual necessity.

Three Gifts I Carry Forward

1. Identity in God, not in ministry. Stepping away from apostolic duties helped me rediscover that my worth is not tied to what I do, but to who I am in God.

2. The importance of margin. Psalm 23 became real: “He restores my soul.” Restoration requires space, quiet, and openness.

3. Rest as a spiritual discipline. Sabbath is a way of placing our lives back into God’s hands and saying, “Lord, I trust You.”

Returning Home with a Renewed Heart

A sabbatical does not end when the calendar says it does. It ends when the heart is ready. As I returned to Olympiapad in Maastricht, I felt a quiet shift – a gentler presence, a more attentive ear, a deeper joy in living our FIC charism.

My hope is that the fruits of this sabbatical will not remain within me alone but will become a gift to the community: in the way I listen, the way I serve, and the way I accompany others.

God is always inviting us to begin again. And so, I begin – with gratitude, simplicity, and a heart renewed by rest.